Graphic display unit for implementing multiple frame buffer stereoscopic or blinking display, with independent multiple windows or blinking regions

Abstract

A graphic display unit makes it possible for a stereo display or blink operation to be implemented on a window system with each window having an arbitrary contour, and on a window by window basis. The graphic display unit of this invention comprises a frame buffer for a right eye, a frame buffer for a left eye, a window-id buffer which stores a window-id corresponding to the contour and position of windows on the frame buffer, a look-up table which stores control information related to stereo display and is accessed based on a window-id, a frame counter that issues the timing of switching frame buffers, a stereo display control circuit for switching buffers based on signals from both the look-up table and from the frame counter, and stereo viewer that controls shutters for a right eye and a left eye.

What is claim is: 
     
       1. A graphic display unit for implementing display of data from a plurality of frame buffers in a plurality of independent window regions to be viewed through a stereo viewer comprising: a first frame buffer for storing first image data;   a second frame buffer for storing second image data;   storing means for storing window display properties corresponding to each independent window region;   a selector circuit which performs a switching operation between said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer to enable one of said first image data and said second image data to be displayed in each independent window region; and   a stereo display control circuit which receives as inputs said window display properties and a timing signal, and which synchronizes said switching operation of said selector circuit with a shutter operation for a right eye and a left eye of said stereo viewer, based on said window display properties and said timing signal, by outputting a first control signal to said selector circuit and a second control signal to said stereo viewer.   
     
     
       2. The graphic display unit of claim 1, wherein said storing means comprises: a window-id look-up-table for storing information defining frame buffer selection for display corresponding to each independent window region; and   a window-id buffer that stores a plurality of indices to said window-id look-up-table, each index corresponding to one of said plurality of independent window regions.   
     
     
       3. The graphic display unit of claim 2, wherein: said information stored in said window-id look-up-table associates each independent window region with one of said first frame buffer, said second frame buffer, and a combination of said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer; and   said control signals to said selector circuit enable the display of said first image data within each independent window region associated with said first frame buffer, the display of said second image data within each independent window region associated with said second frame buffer, and the alternate display of said first image data and said second image data within each independent window region associated with the combination of said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer.   
     
     
       4. The graphic display unit of claim 3, wherein, for each independent window region associated with the combination of said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer: the display of said first image data is enabled by said selector circuit when said timing signal is at a first logic level;   the display of said second image data is enabled by said selector circuit when said timing signal is at a second logic level;   said control signals to said stereo viewer close a left eye shutter on said stereo viewer when the display of said first image data is enabled by said selector circuit; and   said control signals to said stereo viewer close a right eye shutter on said stereo viewer when the display of said second image data is enabled by said selector circuit.   
     
     
       5. The graphic display unit of claim 2, wherein said information stored in said window-id look-up-table associates each independent window region with one of said first frame buffer, said second frame buffer, and a combination of said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer on a pixel unit basis. 
     
     
       6. A graphic display unit for implementing display of data from a plurality of frame buffers in a plurality of independent window regions to be viewed through a stereo viewer comprising: first and second frame buffers for storing first image data suitable for a right eye;   third and fourth frame buffers for storing second image data suitable for a left eye;   storing means for storing window display properties corresponding to each independent window region;   a first selector circuit which performs a first switching operation between said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer to select said first image data stored in one of said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer to be a right image data output;   a second selector circuit which performs a second switching operation between said third frame buffer and said fourth frame buffer to select said second image data stored in one of said third frame buffer and said fourth frame buffer to be a left image data output;   a third selector circuit which performs a third switching operation between said right image data output and said left image data output to enable either said right image data output or said left image data output to be displayed; and   a stereo display control circuit which receives as inputs said window display properties and a timing signal, and which synchronizes said switching operation of said first, second and third selector circuits with a shutter operation for a right eve and a left eye of said stereo viewer, based on said window display properties and said timing signal, by outputting a first, second and third control signal to said first, second and third selector circuits, respectively, and a fourth control signal to said stereo viewer.   
     
     
       7. The graphic display unit of claim 6, wherein said storing means comprises: a window-id look-up-table for storing information defining frame buffer selection for display corresponding to each independent window region; and   a window-id buffer that stores a plurality of indices to said window-id look-up-table, each index corresponding to one of said plurality of independent window regions.   
     
     
       8. The graphic display unit according to claim 7, wherein: said information stored in said window-id look-up-table associates each independent window region with one of said first frame buffer, said second frame buffer, said third frame buffer, said fourth frame buffer, and a combination of said first or second frame buffer and said third or fourth frame buffer;   said control signals to said first and third selector circuit enable the display of said first image data stored in said first frame buffer within each independent window region associated with said first frame buffer;   said control signals to said first and third selector circuit enable the display of said first image data stored in said second frame buffer within each independent window region associated with said second frame buffer;   said control signals to said second and third selector circuit enable the display of said second image data stored in said third frame buffer within each independent window region associated with said third frame buffer;   said control signals to said second and third selector switch enable the display of said second image data stored in said fourth frame buffer within each independent window region associated with said fourth frame buffer; and   said control signals to said first, second and third selector switch enable the alternate display of said first image data and said second image data within each independent window region associated with the combination of said first or second frame buffer and said third or fourth frame buffer.   
     
     
       9. The graphic display unit of claim 8, wherein, for each independent window region associated with the combination of said first or second frame buffer and said third or fourth frame buffer: the display of said first image data is enabled by said first and third selector circuit when said timing signal is at a first logic level;   the display of said second image data is enabled by said second and third selector circuit when said timing signal is at a second logic level;   said control signals to said stereo viewer close a left eye shutter on said stereo viewer when the display of said first image data is enabled by said first and third selector circuit; and   said control signals to said stereo viewer close a right eye shutter on said stereo viewer when the display of said second image data is enabled by said second and third selector circuit.   
     
     
       10. The graphic display unit of claim 7, wherein said information stored in said window-id look-up-table associates each independent window region with one of said first frame buffer, said second frame buffer, said third frame buffer, said fourth frame buffer, and a combination of said first or second frame buffer and said third or fourth frame buffer on a pixel unit basis. 
     
     
       11. A graphic display unit for implementing a plurality of independent blink operations comprising: a first frame buffer for storing background image data;   a second frame buffer for storing blink image data comprising color information for blinking and a region of a display subject to each independent blink operation;   storing means for storing blink properties corresponding to each independent blink operation;   a selector circuit which performs a switching operation between said first frame buffer and said second frame buffer to enable one of said background image data and said blink image data to be displayed; and   a blink control circuit which receives as inputs said blink properties and a plurality of timing signals, and which operates said selector circuit, based on said blink properties and said plurality of timing signals, by outputting a control signal to said selector circuit.   
     
     
       12. The graphic display unit of claim 11, wherein said storing means comprises: a blink-id look-up-table for storing blink information defining selection of one of said plurality of timing signals corresponding to each independent blink operation; and   a blink-id buffer that stores a plurality of indices to said blink-id look-up-table, each index corresponding to one of said plurality of independent blinking operations.   
     
     
       13. The graphic display unit of claim 12, wherein: said information stored in said blink-id look-up-table associates each independent blink operation with one of said plurality of timing signals, each timing signal having a unique period;   said blink control circuit selects one of said plurality of timing signals associated with each independent blink operation as a blink timing signal;   said control signal to said selector circuit enables the display of said background image data when said blink timing signal is at a first logic level; and   said control signal to said selector circuit enables the display of said blink image data when said blink timing signal is at a second logic level.   
     
     
       14. A method for display through a stereo viewer comprising the steps of: storing right eye image data;   storing left eye image data;   storing window characteristics defining each of a plurality of window areas on a display, as one of said right eye image data, said left eye image data, and a combination of said right eye image data and said left eye image data; and   controlling a selector switch which enables the display of said right eye image data within each window area associated with said right eye image data, the display of said left eye image data within each window area associated with said left eye image data, and the alternate display of said right eye image data and said left eye image data within window areas associated with the combination of said right eye image data and said left eye image data.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of: closing a left eye shutter on the stereo viewer when said right eye image data is displayed within window areas associated with the combination of said right eye image data and said left eye image data; and   closing a right eye shutter on the stereo viewer when said left eye image data is displayed within window areas associated with the combination of said right eye image data and said left eye image data.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14, wherein: said step of storing said right eye image data includes storing first right eye image data and second right eye image data;   said step of storing said left eye image data includes storing first left eye image data and second left eye image data; and   said step of storing window characteristics defines each window area as one of said first right eye image data, said second right eye image data, said first left eye image data, said second left eye image data, and a combination of said first or second right eye image data and said first or second left eye image data.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: controlling a first switch which selects one of said first right eye image data and said second right eye image data to be said right eye image data, depending on said window characteristics;   controlling a second switch which selects one of said first left eye image data and said second left eye image data to be the left eye image data, depending on said window characteristics;   closing a left eye shutter on the stereo viewer when said right eye image data is displayed within window areas associated with the combination of said right eye image data and said left eye image data; and   closing a right eye shutter on the stereo viewer when said left eye image data is displayed within window areas associated with the combination of said right eye image data and said left eye image data.   
     
     
       18. A method for display of a plurality of independent blinking images comprising the steps of: storing background image data;   storing blink image data comprising color information and a region of a display for each of said independent blinking images;   storing blink control information which associates each of a plurality of timing signals with each of said independent blinking images; and   controlling a selector switch based on said blink control information and said timing signals which enables the display of said background image data or said blink image data for each of said independent blinking images.